Ten Tastiest Events on Denver's Culinary Calendar, From Beer to Bull

We're in the middle of winter, but that shouldn't stop you from enjoying a nice picnic with a little wine. Luckily, Settembre Cellars is inviting guests to pack a meal and a blanket, and head to the winery's tasting room between 1 and 6 p.m. every Thursday through Sunday for an urban picnic. On Sunday your inner child can come out and play, too: Settembre will be holding an Adult Coloring session, where grownups can sip wine and explore their creative inspirations. (For more information, contact Settembre at 303-532-1892.)

But there's plenty more on tap for the weekend, including two big first anniversaries, as well as Rock the Earth Denver3, which starts just after Denver wins the playoffs.

Friday, January 22

The DaVinci Institute, a futurist organization and coder academy, hosts its first Tasting Room for Colorado distillers at its new headquarters, at the Compass Bank building at 9191 Sheridan Boulevard, from 4 to 8 p.m. today. More than ten Colorado distilleries and eight caterers will take part in the event. General admission tickets are $25; VIP tickets are $99 and include a private tasting hour from 4 to 5 p.m., raffle tickets, a gift bag, preferred seating and more. Attendees can register and learn more here.

Get a taste of a Denver tradition today during the Brown Palace Hotel's Afternoon Tea with the National Western’s Champion Steer. For the 71st year, the 2016 Grand Champion Steer will make his entrance into the Brown Palace at 11 a.m.; the public is invited to pose for photos with the steer from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and rodeo royalty will also be on hand for photos and autographs. Those who make a donation to There With Care will be entered in a contest to win Brown Palace prizes, including an overnight stay at the hotel. For more information, visit brownpalace.com.

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot's first anniversary celebration starts today with a tap takeover from Goose Island and live music by Richie Allen, but the place will be rocking all weekend. On Sunday during the big game, the bar will feature food and drink specials including $4 PBR Tallboys, $4 Fireball shots, $15 buckets of beer and more. For the complete schedule, call Whiskey Tango Foxtrot at 303-226-1540.

Nicole Laurita, of Williams & Graham, will be behind the rooftop bar at MCA Denver for a special edition of the museum's Bartender in Residence program celebrating Marilyn Minter's Pretty/Dirty retrospective. The event will run from 5 to 9 p.m., with happy hour from 5 to 7. Admission is $5 after 5 p.m., and always free for members. For more information, see the event's Facebook page.

Winter Brew Festival pours into Mile High Station starting this evening. Today and tomorrow guests can sample beers from over forty breweries while listening to live music by Kerry Pastine & The Crime Scene on Friday night, and the Gin Doctors on Saturday. Tickets are $35 per night, or you can go with the VIP package, which includes early admission and a special cheese sampling by Mouco Cheese, for $45. For tickets and more information, visit denverbrewfest.com.

Arugula is taking its Tour of Tuscany Wine dinner on the road and heading to Salto in Nederland. The restaurant will serve five courses and four wines in the cozy comfort of a coffee shop; for reservations and pricing, contact Salto at 303-258-3537.

The Beaver Creek Winter Culinary Festival is under way, with guest speakers, outdoor activities, interactive cooking demonstrations, innovative wine and spirits events, gourmet wine-pairing dinners and more all weekend. Grab tickets and check out the full schedule of events here.

Saturday, January 23

Dunbar Kitchen & Taphouse, our Best New Bar in the Best of Denver 2015, will celebrate its first anniversary today from 4 to 11 p.m. Enjoy tap takeovers from Odell Brewing and Epic Brewing Company, cocktail samples and specials from Leopold Bros., and wine tasting and specials from Republic National Distribution Company. For all the details, check out the event's Facebook page.

Dine out for Earth Denver 3, returns to bring together another all-star lineup of local chefs this weekend.

Courtesy of Rock the Earth

Sunday, January 24

Rock the Earth, a national environmental nonprofit that works to protect America’s natural resources, will be holding Dine Out for Earth Denver 3 at The Squeaky Bean from 6 to 9:30 p.m. today The event will feature some of Denver's top chefs, including Charlie Ayers, Troy Guard, Justin Brunson, Amos Watts, Tom Coohill and host-chef Chris MacGillivray, who have joined forces to create a special six-course menu showcasing locally-sourced products. Even the drinks will be local: The dinner will be paired with beers from Great Divide Brewing Company, wines from Infinite Monkey Theorem and cocktails from Woody Creek Distillers. The evening will also feature a silent auction and music by DJ Russo. Tickets are $115 in advance here, or you can get tickets at the door for $160—assuming the dinner isn't already sold out.

For more Food & Drink events, go to our online calendar. If you know of an event that should be included in that calendar, send information to cafe@westword.com.